TIPOFF ANTONIO'S EVERYWHERE, BUT HE'LL BE HERE FOR PROTEST.

Byline: RICK ORLOV

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa drew heavily on his reputation as the "Energizer Mayor" this weekend as he was racking up frequent flier miles.

It all started Friday when the mayor was in Memphis to receive the President's Award from the National Conference of Black Mayors.

On Saturday, he appeared at events in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., where he stayed overnight after attending the White House Correspondents' dinner.

He returned to L.A. on Sunday and promptly called a news conference about today's planned immigration protest marches.

He had been scheduled to head to Dallas to meet with National Football League owners, but he put that off until after the protests.

The Dallas trip became a logistical nightmare as aides worried about trouble breaking out in Los Angeles during the immigration protests and the mayor being out of the city.

Ever a student of politics, Villaraigosa recalls that then-Mayor James Hahn was politically damaged because he was out of town on Sept. 11, 2001, when terrorist attacks rocked the nation.

Those involved in dealing with the NFL are being cautioned not to get their hopes too high.

This week's planned meetings are to hear from Los Angeles, Anaheim and Pasadena officials, but any decision by the team owners is not expected until at least May 21.

Even then it is not expected to be a decision on whether an existing franchise would be allowed to move here or if an expansion team would be created.

The more immediate scenario - whether it is Los Angeles, Anaheim or Pasadena that is selected - is that it will create a semiofficial bargaining chip for owners to use against the cities in which they are located to make deals for new or improved facilities.

On another front, Villaraigosa is taking to heart the adage: "Don't get mad, get even."

The mayor, who posts a monthly electronic newsletter - available through the mayor's Web site at lacity.org - used his April column to take the Daily News to task over its editorial opposition to the city's plan to spend $39 million to house three elephants at the Los Angeles Zoo.

Even though Villaraigosa had originally opposed the plan for the elephants, he said he would not try to override the City Council on the matter.

As for taking on the newspaper, spokesman Joe Ramallo said the mayor was trying to be provocative.

"He has taken on the school district. He plans to take on other issues where he feels it's important to let people know where he stands," Ramallo said. "He wants to stimulate the debate."

City Controller Laura Chick is off on a jaunt of her own this week - to Cuba.

Taking advantage of a foray organized by several Hispanic legal groups, Chick is traveling to Cuba as part of a humanitarian-religious trip to meet with various Cuban groups including church leaders and social service agencies to assess conditions on the island.

Chick said she has long been interested in Cuba and did not want to pass up the opportunity to see a country that is so close to the United States and so politically different.

Also, she said, she was taking vacation time and paying her own way.

No matter where you stand on term limits, you have to appreciate the fact that they do not apply to honorary mayors such as Johnny Grant, the unofficial "mayor" of Hollywood.

Grant, who normally serves as the master of ceremonies at events ranging from the Hollywood Christmas Parade to the stars on Hollywood Boulevard, had the tables turned on him recently when he was honored with a Soaring Eagle award by the Coro Foundation.

City Council President Eric Garcetti presented Grant with the award, and Grant quickly announced he was forming a committee for Garcetti.

"It might be years away, folks," Grant told the crowd. "But I think we should start an Eric Garcetti for President committee."

rick.orlov(at)dailynews.com

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